Classroom Organization

Many Elementary Level teachers will be assigned a regular classroom. Since Science interaction requires many different kinds of equipment and materials, it is imperative that the room be organized to accommodate the activity approach to Science. To support resource-based learning, it is recommended that a variety of instructional resources and support materials be used.

Facilities

• Activity areas - These are areas with appropriate materials and equipment where science activities can be performed. The areas may be used for non-science activities at other times.
• Resource centre - Refer to the section on Resource-Based Learning
• Conference areas - These are areas for discussion, reading, investigation, writing, or tutorials.
• Learning centre - In a learning centre, students have access to additional activities related to a unit of work.

In a large classroom, all four areas may remain set up at all times. In more limited situations, resource and learning centres should remain available and activity and conference areas set up as appropriate.

Materials

Multi-grading

• Differentiate Assignments. Assign grade appropriate projects or activities.

• Organize the classroom for Student-Centred Learning -- Create work stations, each with its own activity. Use learning centres and creative grouping strategies.

• Use a variety of teaching approaches -- See the Science Program Overview and Connections (K) 1-12 document for further information. The resource guide for incorporating the Common Essential Learnings is also a useful reference.

• Promote independent study -- Encourage projects. Take-home science activities motivate students and help to promote parental involvement.

• Use peer tutoring and learning teams -- These are useful for computer-assisted learning. Peer tutors can provide information to other students. Reading partners may be grouped together. Learning teams are also useful for Science Challenge activities. Cooperative learning is encouraged in these ways.

• Use resource-based learning -- By using a variety of resources, students can work with materials suited to their reading ability and to their interests.

Using Learning Centres in Science

• Learning centres provide variety in instructional strategies, allow for adapting to special needs students, utilize scarce resources efficiently, and motivate students to explore enrichment material.

• The learning centre should focus on one topic. Visually, the centre should make a statement about its purpose.

• Design the area based on the specific needs of the students. Keep in mind their level of maturity, their ability to work independently, their level of cognitive development, and their psychomotor abilities.

• A variety of learning activities involving different types of skills should be incorporated into the learning centre. Each student need not complete all the activities.

• Keep a record of each student's progress on the activities in the learning centre.

• Arrange the centre with purposeful learning activities.

• Try to use activities which allow students to check and monitor their own progress.

• Whenever possible, utilize the assistance of paraprofessionals, parents, and students in preparing the learning centre.

• Save the materials for subsequent use. Good learning centres may be modified and rotated from one classroom to another.

• Periodically update the area. Evaluate it to ensure that it is serving its intended purpose.

• Student performance tasks help to determine the effectiveness of the learning centre.

• Student suggestions and comments will be important in evaluating the effectiveness of the learning centre, and in modifying and improving it.

• Design science activities which help attain the objectives from other Required Areas of Study.

• Designate "classroom experts" to train other students to use audio-visual materials and computers.

• current newspapers and magazines, or selected newspaper and magazine clippings,

• paper, pencils, other writing and drawing materials,

• graph paper,

• blackline master activity sheets,

• library books or other resource centre materials on temporary loan,

• live animals (involve the class in caring for these),

• specimens to be examined such as leaves, seeds, rocks and minerals, soil samples, and any other materials relevant to the unit,

• posters and wall charts (the learning centre can also be designed with a bulletin board as a backdrop),

• audiovisual materials such as audio cassette players, slide viewers, videocassette machines,

• equipment needed for performing activities and investigations,

• scrapbooks,

• writing journals or writing folders.

Safety

• Instruct your students about safe procedures at every opportunity. Also stress that they should remember to use safe procedures when experimenting at home.

• Check your classroom for hazards on a regular basis.

• Prevent accidents by closely supervising students at all times during activities.

• Display commercial or student-made safety posters. Create a bulletin board with a safety theme.

• Take a first aid course. If treatment of an injury is beyond your level of competence to treat, wait until medical help arrives. Treating victims could result in criminal or civil action against you if the injury is aggravated.

• Have a first-aid kit to which the students do not have access. Know how to use it.

• Make a rule that all accidents must be reported to the teacher.

• In case of a serious accident, pick one person who is present and send that person for expert, professional, or additional help. Then take action. Remember, you are in charge of the situation.

• Become familiar with the school's or School Division's accident policy.

• Do not give medical advice.

• Move the injured person as little as possible until the injury assessment is complete.

• Emphasize that extra caution is needed when using open flames in the classroom.

• For more complex science activities, consult laboratory safety manuals.

• Require the use of goggles when using open flames, corrosive chemicals or other identifiable hazards.

• In case of fire, your first responsibility is to get students out of the area. Send a specific person to give an appropriate alarm. Then assess the situation and act.

• Many plants are toxic. Eat or taste plant parts only if you know they are safe.

• Be careful in handling plants. Some plants may irritate the skin. Wash hands after handling plants.

• Avoid overloading shelves and window sills.

• Use gloves when handling lab animals.

• Clearly label all containers of solids, liquids, and solutions.

• Separate broken glass from other waste.

• Advise students not to touch, taste, or smell chemicals unless instructed to do so.

• Be aware of any allergies or other medical conditions that students might have.

Disposing of Chemicals

Although every effort has been made to avoid the use of hazardous or dangerous chemicals in the suggested activities in this Curriculum Guide, there are still some precautions which should be followed when disposing of chemicals.

• The disposal of all liquid wastes should involve diluting the liquid before pouring it down the drain, then running tap water down the drain to further dilute the liquid.

• Rinse solid wastes thoroughly with water. Solid wastes should be disposed of in a specially marked waste container -- not the general class waste basket. The janitor should be alerted to the existence of this container and be assured that none of the materials are hazardous.

Federal, provincial, and municipal regulations regarding the labelling, storage, and disposal of hazardous substances should be followed. Under current Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) regulations, all employees involved in handling hazardous substances must receive training by their employer. For more information, contact the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, or Saskatchewan Human Resources, Labour and Employment.

Plant and Animal Care in the Classroom

Involve students in helping to care for plants and animals; set up a daily schedule of things that have to be done. Rotating student responsibilities will involve more students. They should be able to discuss the kinds of things that plants and animals need to live and stay healthy. They can use these ideas to learn more about the plants and animals they are caring for.

Wear gloves when handling animals in the classroom. Overhandling can put the animals under excessive stress. Be wary of possible diseases that may be spread by the animals, or by people to the animals.

Inquire about specific feeding requirements for any classroom pets. Find out about the size of cage the animal needs, the type of nutritional requirements it has, whether or not it needs a separate container for water, and so on. Odour and lack of cleanliness will occur if animals are not maintained properly. Before you obtain an animal as a classroom pet, find out how much time and effort will be needed to care for it. Be prepared to make the necessary commitment if you have a pet in the classroom. Does the animal need a metal cage? Does it need an exercise wheel? Can it be stored in cardboard boxes, and if so, how often do the boxes have to be changed? These are the areas of concern when deciding on a type of pet to have in the classroom.

Poisonous animals, or other potentially dangerous animals such as venomous snakes and spiders should not be kept in the classroom.

The use of animals for purposes of experimentation has come under very close scrutiny in recent years. If an experiment can be performed in some other way than by using live or preserved specimens, then do so. Alternatives might include computer simulations and research projects.

Some people may have allergies to certain plants and animals. Be wary of any possible signs of allergic reactions among students. Some plants are toxic and should not be used in the classroom. If in doubt, check about the plant first, and keep it out of reach of children until you are sure that it is safe.

Keep plants fairly far apart, so that if mites infest one plant they will not spread to other plants.

Plants and animals have certain environmental conditions which must be maintained to ensure their welfare. Room temperature, exposure to sunlight, humidity, noise, dust, and other such factors may have an effect on them.

Make arrangements to have the plants and animals looked after over holidays and on weekends.

Aquaria in the Classroom

• A glass container of any size can be used, from a large, well washed pickle jar to a 2 metre long tank.

• Rinse any container several times before it is used.

• Plan an appropriate environment for the fish.

• Use clean, aerated water at an appropriate temperature (21 °C to 27 °C)

• A source of diffused light over the tank is useful.

• Bottom gravel, water plants, and hiding places enhance the environment.

• Plants can rarely supply enough oxygen for the fish.

• Treated tap water must be left 48 - 72 hours in an open container, so that the chlorine in the water diffuses into the air. Adjust water temperature before adding fish.

• When replacing water lost by evaporation, use water that has lost its chlorine and reached aquarium temperature.

• A lid prevents excessive evaporation losses.

• Indirect light, from a light in a lid or from the classroom, is better than direct sunlight.

• Get help from your supplier to select fish based on several factors: hardiness, compatibility, available space.

• Too few fish is better than too many.

• Select a proper food and feed the proper amounts. Children will tend to overfeed the fish, causing a food decaying problem, if allowed to feed the fish whenever they wish.

• Remove or treat diseased fish immediately.

• Teach the children to avoid activities which put additional stress on the fish, such as tapping on the walls of the aquarium, poking the fish with pencils, or dropping paper or chemicals into the water.

Terraria in the Classroom

A terrarium simulates a natural land environment.

• Use a large glass container - a pickle jar, fish bowl or aquarium.

• Place the soil in layers: rocks or pebbles covered by activated charcoal, covered by topsoil.

• Topsoil is a mixture of peat moss, potting soil and sand, with proportions varying according to the environment you wish to create.

• Activated charcoal chips, available at stores with aquarium supplies, absorb decaying organic material from the soil and water.

• Completely moisten the soil before transplanting into it.

• Use a loose fitting lid for a moist environment terrarium (with mosses, ferns, etc.). No lid is necessary for a dry environment (cactus) system.

• Place moist environment terraria in indirect, but adequate, light. Dry environment terraria may be placed in direct sunlight.

• Use occasional misting to maintain the humidity level.

• If animals are added, you should ensure that they are not able to escape the terrarium and become a classroom nuisance.

Organizing a Field Trip

The key to successful field trip experiences is careful and thorough planning. This planning takes time and patience. Make sure to check to see if the School Division has any special policies regarding field trips.

The simplest approach when planning a field trip is to treat the experience like the writing of a newspaper article.

WHY do you want to take your class on this particular trip?

• Is this a Science activity or does it integrate activities in other subjects as well?
• Are the planned activities valid learning experiences?
• Could this be a multi-grade field trip?

• Have objectives for the field trip been established?
• Have appropriate activities and instructional approaches been selected?
• Have you and your students done your background research?
• Are your expectations about student behaviour on the trip clear and realistic?

• Is it accessible to all students?
• Is permission of landowners or officials required in order to visit this site?
• Does the site have facilities such as bathrooms, lunch areas, shelters, appropriate emergency facilities, etc.?
• Is it possible for the teacher to visit the site beforehand?
• Are locations established at which various activities will occur?

• Is there adequate time to plan the trip?
• Will relevant information be provided to students before the field trip?
• Is there adequate time after the field trip to do a wrap-up?
• Are there any potential conflicts with the selected date?
• Does the selected date(s) indicate the need for special clothing or supplies?
• Is there a contingency plan in case of bad weather?
• Has parental consent been obtained?

• Will transportation be required?
• Is appropriate transportation available and affordable?
• Can the students be learning during the trip to the site?

• Can time be used efficiently and effectively?
• Is there too much to do and too little time?

• Will someone else have to do additional supervision duties?
• Will others have to change their planned activities?
• Will a substitute teacher be required?

• Are there sufficient adult supervisors for the number of students involved?
• Have the people in your community been utilized for their expertise?
• Has the class been divided into small groups?
• Have student group leaders who will be responsible for materials and supplies been selected?

Although this may seem like a great deal of work, a large portion of it should be done before embarking on the actual trip. The more concrete and detailed the planning is, the more likely it is that the field trip will be a success.

Once the groundwork has been set and administrative approval has been obtained, approach the parents and the students about the trip. It is advisable to send a letter home to the parents which details the proposed field trip. Include information on such things as the times of departure and return, the location of the field trip, who will be responsible for supervision, clothing requirements, lunch plans, required materials, anticipated costs, and contingency plans. This letter could also include a request for parental help and a separate permission slip to be returned to the teacher. It is a good idea to have the letter signed by both the teacher and the principal before sending it to parents.

The parental consent form which follows serves as an example. Note that the use of a consent form does not remove the teacher or the School Division from the possibility of incurring liability during the trip.

PERMISSION FORM FOR FIELD TRIPS

Date:

Dear Parent/Guardian:

As a part of the Science program for grade _____, we will be going on a field trip to ___________________________. This field trip will provide your child with the opportunity to experience the following: (provide a brief list of the activities you have planned).

An itinerary and a schedule of our proposed activities during the field trip is included for your information. Please review this material and contact the school if you have any questions about our plans.

Your child should bring the following supplies on the field trip: (list any special needs). If your child has any special physical or medical problems (i.e., allergies), please bring this to our attention. Contact the school if you feel that these problems may interfere with your child's participation in this activity.

We would like you to come along on this exciting learning experience. We encourage you to sign up as a volunteer. Thank you for your cooperation.

Teacher: ______________________ Principal:______________________

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I will be able to take part in this field trip as volunteer.

Yes ____ No _____ Comments:

CONSENT FORM

I permit my child to take part in the field trip described above. I have notified the school of any physical or medical problems which might interfere with my child's participation in this activity.

Date: _________________

Signature: ______________________________

Using Magnifying Instruments

Magnifying instruments are extremely useful in science. They extend a student's ability to observe details. Some of the Suggested activities in the Core Units of this Curriculum Guide make reference to the use of magnifying instruments. Magnifying glasses, hand magnifiers, and micro boxes are examples of magnifying instruments used in the Elementary Level Science program.

Using the Microscope

The microscope, of course, is another useful magnifying instrument. Although the use of microscopes is not compulsory in the Elementary Level Science program, some teachers may find that these instruments enhance science activities.

Microscopes are relatively simple to use and, for most adults, all that is required is a brief review. Using a microscope does not require an understanding of the technology upon which it is built. If necessary, Elementary Level teachers could consult with Secondary Level Biology teachers or use other reference materials to obtain more information about microscopes. The information provided below may be all that is required to provide a basic familiarity with the use of microscopes.

When using the low power objective to view a slide, the total magnification of the object is the lowest (such as 100X). The high power objective will provide a greater magnification (such as 400X). Some microscopes have four objectives instead of two. The additional ones are a scanning objective and an oil immersion objective. You may want to use the scanning objective to locate an object but it is highly unlikely that you will use the oil immersion objective in the Elementary Level Science program.

Hints for Using a Microscope

• Always pick the microscope up with two hands - one under the base of the microscope and the other firmly grasping the arm.
• Always clean the eyepiece and the objectives with lens paper before using the microscope; the eyepiece will lift out of the body tube so that you can gently clean both the top and the bottom of it. (Be careful not to scratch the lenses.)
• If the microscope you are using has a mirror, you will need an external light source. Never aim the mirror directly at the sun. A bright sky or a snowy field provides enough light, if lamps are not available.
• The external light source and the mirror will need to be manipulated until the amount of light passing through the diaphragm is just right. This requires practice.
• Newer microscopes have a light source built into the base of the microscope so all that is required is plugging it in and turning it on.
• Even with the newer microscopes, the diaphragm must be adjusted until the amount of light is adequate.
• If you want a bright field, open the diaphragm completely; a closed diaphragm results in a darker field.
• Place the slide to be viewed on the stage and hold it in place with the stage clips.
• The initial focusing of the slide is done with the coarse adjustment and the low power objective.
• Lower or raise the body tube when you are not looking through the eyepiece.
• It is best to lower the body tube until the low power objective is as close to the slide as possible.
• View the slide through the eyepiece with both eyes open.
• Raise the body tube until you can see something on the slide.
• Use the fine adjustment to obtain a sharper image.
• Now switch to the high power objective and re-focus the slide.
• Although the arm of the microscope allows you to tilt the base, it is best to use only a slight tilt at the most.
• When using live materials or wet mounts, it is best not to leave them exposed to the bright light for extended periods of time (it tends to dry out the slide and make it more difficult to view).
• Remember the object on the slide moves in the opposite direction when you are viewing it through the eyepiece (i.e., if you move the slide to the left, the object being viewed appears to move to the right).
• When you have finished using the microscope, clean all of the lenses again, return the revolving nosepiece to the low power objective position, and lower the body tube.
• If possible, cover the microscope and store it in a cabinet.

Preparing a Wet Mount Slide

The most commonly used type of mount in microscope work is the wet mount. In this process the material to be viewed is placed on the slide, water is added, and a cover slip is put over the material. Like all skills, this requires practice.

• Wash and dry a microscope slide and a cover slip.
• Place the microscope slide on a flat surface.
• Place a small piece of the material to be viewed in the centre of the slide. The smaller or thinner the material the better.
• Using an eye dropper, add a small drop of water to the material.
• Hold the cover slip at a 45o angle to the microscope slide and slowly lower it until it rests on the slide.
• Examine the slide for the presence of air bubbles. If any air bubbles are present gently tap them out from under the cover slip.
• If you wish to stain the material under the cover slip, place a drop of the stain at one edge of the cover slip and a piece of absorbent paper on the opposite side. The paper will pull the stain through the wet mount and will stain the material as desired.
• The slide is now ready for viewing.